1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal and a method for outputting signals thereof, and more particularly, to a mobile communication terminal having QWERTY keys for outputting a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signal corresponding to a selected QWERTY key, and to a method for outputting the DTMF signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a plan view partially illustrating a conventional mobile communication terminal having 3×4 keys.
As shown in FIG. 1, a typical mobile communication terminal 10 has 3×4 alphanumeric keys 7 (hereinafter ‘3×4 keys’) may be arrayed similarly to those of a general telephone keyboard. However, many recent mobile communication terminals employ a QWERTY keypad in which alphanumeric keys are arrayed similarly to those of a keyboard for computers. In particular, mobile communication terminals, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's) have adopted such a QWERTY key array.
In general, many companies and organizations administrate directory systems, such as an Automatic Response System (ARS) system, so that a user can conventionally call and connect with a person in the company on a representative phone using a mobile communication terminal.
Specifically, when the user calls the company administrating the directory system, the directory system requests an extension number or a name of person to be called from the user. When the user inputs information requested by the directory system through keys of the mobile communication terminal, the mobile communication terminal transmits Dual Tone MultiiFrequency (DTMF) signals corresponding to the input keys to the directory system. If the called person corresponding to the received DTMF signal is within the company, the directory system connects the called person's phone to the user's mobile communication terminal.
However, since the directory system is operated based on DTMF signals corresponding to 3×4 keys adopted by a general telephone, when the directory system requests alphabetic characters, such as those in an employee's name, from a user who uses a mobile communication terminal having a QWERTY keypad, the user cannot easily input the corresponding alphabetic characters through the QWERTY keypad.
Specifically, since alphabetic characters marked on the numeric keys of the QWERTY keypad are different from those of the 3×4 keypad, the user may make errors when inputting alphabetic characters while making a call. Therefore, in order to respond to the directory system's request properly, the user must memorize the array of alphabetic characters in the 3×4 keypad, which are not marked on the numeric keys of the QWERTY keypad.
As such, when a conventional mobile communication terminal having a QWERTY keypad is connected to the directory system, the user is inconvenienced when inputting information including alphabetic characters that is requested by the directory system, through the QWERTY keypad.